Unexpected Completely Welcome
by Miz Thang
Summary: “That’s right, Granger. I saved your worthless, mudblood, life.” One moment can change a whole lot.


**Title: **Unexpected; Completely Welcome  
**Author:** Miz Thang  
**Characters/Pairing: **Hermione Granger, HP/HG, PP/DM, HG/DM  
**Rating:** FRM  
**Word Count: **5693  
**Warnings:** Angst. Character Death. Romance. AU about some way into the first night back in OoTP.  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything but the little story's idea. Everything else belongs to who it belongs to.  
**Summary: **"That's right, Granger. I saved your worthless, mudblood, life."

_Avada Kedavra_.

It fills every pore of her being, and sticks to every thread of her clothing. It's in every breath she takes, and it hovers in the air around her, attempting to choke her. It nears and fades away, but always returns. A flash of green light, always missing her, but killing a part of herself all the same.

The spells continue to miss her as she ducks and crouches, running for her life, but then always hit something. A fellow Hogwarts student hoping to live through this horror, only to have their wish ignored as their body is blown back and made lifeless as it hits the muddy earth.

She lost Ron and Harry the moment she'd slipped into the trees of the Forbidden Forest (she and the other prefects had locked anyone third year and younger, and a few older years, in the common rooms before the attack could officially come; they're safe, she's sure). At this point in time, she can only hope they're okay and keep going, keep running, keep ducking…keep living…

A girl is screaming for help. As much as she wants to run, Hermione pulls out her wand and takes off the way she needs to. So that she can help. She's too late though, and there's only a flash of green light and red hair flying subsequently though the air. Hermione manages to keep her gasp of horror to herself at the sight of Ginny Weasley's dead body.

She can see thestrals in the forest now. Had she seen enough death for it to be apparent?

She (can't do anymore) turns from the danger and runs away. She feels really bad for a moment about Ginny and the possibility of Ron finding his sister. But only for a moment. The feeling is fleeting and soon she's running for her own life again.

She trips over Seamus Finnegan and backs away from Lavender Brown and wonders sarcastically if they believe Voldemort's back now. She feels bad almost immediately after and ups whatever she'd eaten just hours ago in the Great Hall.

Someone with robes of blue and bronze is lying spread eagle on the ground. Hermione doesn't stop to see who – as far as she's concerned, it's some unnamed Ravenclaw. She can't help them now; they're dead.

How many were dead? How many had met _Avada Kedavra_ in these past five minutes alone? The screams told her; she didn't need an answer.

There are no teachers, no one to protect them anymore. How can there be? The last Hermione had seen of the professors, must have been when they were facing off against Voldemort's Death Eaters. If any had managed to survive the wild casting of _Avada Kedavra_, they were as on the run as the students.

Is it wrong for Hermione to be supremely scared for her life? After all (as Malfoy repeatedly like to remind her), she was a mud blood, one of those few Death Eaters despised – not to mention, well known as Harry's friend. Voldemort would know who she was and would very much want to kill her.

She trips over a stray branch, but manages to continue her race to survive. _Avada Kedavra_ rings in her ears and green flashes of light reflect in her eyes.

She screams as she's grabbed, until a hand covers her mouth and she is yanked around a large boulder. Her back hits the jagged rocks harshly and she winces in pain, glaring at the person with the dark hood before her. She notices a bit of green lining, and the emblem on the front.

A Slytherin.

"I'm only going to tell you once. You don't say a word, and I won't kill you," the voice says. She wants to call the figure's bluff, but then she remembers that she dropped her wand in the scuffle and there had been a very distinctive crack. In short, she's quite screwed.

The person removes their hood and she glares more. Of course, it's Draco Malfoy. He somehow manages to show up at just the wrong time, every time. If there's chaos and a forest, there's Malfoy.

He takes his hand from her mouth slowly, and she immediately hisses, "What the hell do you want?"

A hooded figure with a (Death Eater) mask walks by, shutting her up. He catches her wide-eyed look and nods. "That's right, Granger. I saved your worthless, mudblood, life."

She glares, whispering, "So what; I owe you now or something?"

He returns the glare wholeheartedly. "I wouldn't want anything you could possibly give me."

"Then why did you do it?"

"I have my reasons."

"Which are?"

"Not for you to know."

"Oh, let me leave then. I'd rather brave _Avada Kedavra_." She sneers, attempting to pass Malfoy and step back into the open.

"Right. Weasel's dead." He says. "Thought you'd like to know. All four of them. Potter's Merlin knows where – hopefully dying by Voldemort's hand."

She stops and turns to face him. "You really are a right bastard."

He grins at her. "I beg to differ, mudblood. I told you at the end of fourth year, didn't I? I said that Diggory was just the first, with the Dark Lord back. But would any of you do gooders listen?"

She's trembling. With what, she doesn't know. It might be rage. It might by terror. All she knows is that there's an emotion she can't describe filling her entire being. She doesn't really care for the emotion, whatever it is.

"So you feel smug now in being right. Congratulations, Malfoy."

His face flushes a bit, tiny satisfaction for Hermione, and he scowls. "You'd think so."

A scream rings out in that moment and Hermione jumps. She then remembers that she has no wand, that the forest is full of Death Eaters, and that she represents everything they're out to kill.

"And down goes another one," Malfoy says, a bit monotonously. "How long do you think this'll last?"

Hermione's first shocked by his lack of sardonic tone. Then by the civility of what he's said. She shrugs. "Until we're all dead, or until the Ministry comes." She pauses, having not seen one Slytherin through the entire ordeal. "Where are your friends?"

"Home, maybe. We all knew in advance and told the others, of course, but – "

"But you figured you'd catch it all in action." Hermione finishes knowingly. "Did you find it interesting entertainment?"

His eyes narrow. "Not nearly enough. You're still here."

He tosses something at her suddenly. It glints in the moonlight and she catches it in surprise, looking down. A key. She begins to feel a weird pulling in her navel and sees Draco pulling his hood back over his head and stepping back into the shadows as the Forbidden Forest disappears around her.

Her first thought is that Draco Malfoy just tricked her, handing her over on a silver platter to the Death Eaters. She realizes her error once she arrives in a dark alley. She steps out into the street lights and notices that she's been in the area before. The Order of the Phoenix, they were near by.

Suddenly filled with hope, she quickly races down the empty streets. Her lungs burn as she gives herself no rest, every limb hurts, but she's determined to reach help first.

She doesn't know what she'll tell Sirius or the others, bu –

She continues to run and finds herself between number eleven Grimmauld Place and number thirteen of the same. She lets out a slight sigh as number twelve comes into view.

She runs forward, seeing Sirius already opening the door. There's worry written on every line in his face at seeing her alone. She figures that by now, everyone knows of the attack.

She doesn't need to day anything. He already knows, which is a relief, as she passes out the moment she is over the threshold.

-

When she wakes up, some hours later, she finds out that Harry won. He's in a coma and may never wake up, but what does any wizard care when he's the final victor?

Professor Trelawney – who she finds in the kitchen as one of those who escaped – tells the Order of the Phoenix about her prophecy. There's no preamble, no act of mystery. Hermione finds that she likes Professor Trelawney better when she's not pushing her second sight act.

Dumbledore later backs up Trelawney's story. Harry and Voldemort were destined for a showdown such as what they had. And Harry won. A fifteen year old boy. The price? Many students dead and Harry in a coma. Sounds like a great cause to celebrate, doesn't it?

She remembers for months after what Malfoy did. She's no where near proclaiming her undying love for him, but she does appreciate him saving her life, whatever reason he might've had for it (Harry's awake, and that adds to her good mood).

In the present's time, though, her parents are happy to see her later that day, as she knew they would be. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are considerably down, as Hermione is the only one who managed to survive and escape safely. They can't really do anything about that now, though, can they?

-

Nearly three years later, she graduates from a small wizarding school a few towns over from home and is top of her class.

A month after, she receives an owl post (from a beautiful black owl she'd never before seen in her life). She's surprised to find an invitation and opens it carefully. And invitation…to a wedding.

The wedding of Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson.

She has a moment, when thinking of the blond, but it flits away quickly. She decides to immediately RSVP, and tells him that, yes, he will see her there and that she's quite grateful for the invitation (even if that's stretching the truth).

She sits for a while and thinks on her life of the past seven/eight years. Her life's plan had been out the window for years, and she's just getting her own apartment. Surprisingly, it doesn't bother her so much anymore.

-

She runs into Malfoy and Parkinson at the Leaky Cauldron. She's leaving Diagon Alley with Harry as the other couple gets ready to enter.

Parkinson smiles genuinely at her, compliments her hair and outfit, and tells how glad she is to have Hermione and Harry attending her wedding.

Hermione feels that same pang that she had at the sight of the invitation. It's only when her eyes reach Malfoy's that she thinks it may be in connection to him. He acknowledges them and then practically drags Pansy off and they disappear into the "shopping center."

Harry calls it weird.

Hermione calls it change.

-

The more she thinks about it, the more she feels that pang about Draco's wedding. Not that she knows what it is. Not really. Except some part of her does.

A week after meeting at the Leaky Cauldron, Pansy asks her out for drinks. Hermione can therefore admit that change is in fact weird.

She goes, of course, out of pure curiosity. They meet at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmead and Pansy uses idle conversation until Hermione asks for the point.

"I…well…that is to say – " Hermione raises an eyebrow. "I have no female friends to speak of, as you may have noticed."

"Yes. And I don't happen to be one of them."

"Which explains my saying _no_ female friends, doesn't it?"

Hermione glares and Pansy returns it. "So…you want me…to be your…maid of honor?"

"In a way, yes." Pansy returns. She then tells Hermione that she'd be the only one, so it would be perfectly alright to wear whatever dress robes she wants ("as long as they're light blue"). She then tells Hermione that there's an engagement party on Friday night ("bring Harry if you need to") and to dress casual ("casual robes, Hermione. But really nice ones").

Hermione wonders just what she's gotten herself into.

-

The engagement party is interesting. She keeps stealing glances at Malfoy as he and Pansy make friends and mingle. The question is still burning in the back of her mind and she needs to ask why.

Why on earth did he decide she was worth saving? Why did he give her that port key, let her live? Why was she so glad he'd decided on saving her (and not in that "you saved my life" way; she's just happy _he_ saved her)?

Rita Skeeter's invited, of course she'd be. She'd never once hesitated to make sure the Malfoy family looked well in the public's eye when they met the front cover of the Daily Prophet (or any other paper). Malfoy and Harry shake hands, as they could have eight years ago, and Bozo, Rita's photographer, catches the moment.

Hermione only thinks for once (well thrice), Harry will look exceptionally well in Rita's eyes. She thinks again about change.

-

Draco works at the Ministry. Hermione didn't know that (and neither did Harry), and she's quite (pleasantly) surprised. When she asks, he explains of "the necessity of confiscating monetary things" and that the job is only compensation; he comes and goes as he pleases. She finds out that he's working towards one day being Minister of Magic.

Oddly, the thought of Draco being in the seat of power is not hell for her. She figures it's better the devil she knows. She tells him she'd vote for him, and flushes a bright red when he thanks her with a bemused smile.

She's beginning to think she's gone inane.

-

Pansy stops by her office one day, on the way to Draco's (all this time, she's been assuming the woman had important business). She invites Hermione to lunch tomorrow and Hermione agrees because she thinks they're beyond saying no.

On their way out, Draco acknowledges her with a "good afternoon," which she returns, smiling at the engaged couple.

She has a flitting moment where she wonders what it would be like to walk around the wizarding world on the arm of Draco Malfoy.

She pauses in thought and tells herself that it's probably exactly what it feels like the walk around the wizarding world on the arm of Harry Potter.

She doesn't actually believe that. Not really.

-

Draco invites her and Harry to dinner a week later. She has a feeling that it's Pansy's idea, but there's a tingle at the thought of spending the entire evening with him (why, she won't think of) that makes it all so exciting.

She and Harry have a fight over the invitation. He doesn't want to go; she does. And they can't seem to agree.

She goes alone, lying to Pansy about why Harry couldn't come. When Pansy goes to check on dinner, Draco makes it very obvious that he doesn't believe her or her story.

She smiles and tells him that she could care less. There's this warm feeling she can't explain while looking at him.

She wonders if he feels it too.

-

She tells him no, Harry. He gets on one knee, at the Yule Ministry Banquet, and asks her before every employee. And she sits there, staring down at him.

When she does look up, it seems as if she magically finds Draco and Pansy a few tables away. A quick second of a locked gaze, and she finds herself realizing that she's drawn to Draco. Draco Malfoy of all people. In the span of working together for six months, she's gotten something of a crush on him.

Perfect, she thinks disgustedly, looking back at Harry at last. Would it be right, marrying Harry though she'd never love him? Pretending, living a lie? (No.)

In a calm voice worthy of all notice, she says. "No."

The watching crowd beings to share a flurry of whispers, but she's only wondering what Draco's thinking, if he now knows how she feels. It doesn't even occur to her to think of what Harry's reaction is.

Evidently, it's surprise.

"What?"

"No." she sighs. "I'm sorry, Harry. But I can't marry you."

More whispers. She stands and walks away from Harry, leaving the hall. She eventually finds her way to the snowy garden and flops onto the nearest bench, despite the cold.

Ten minutes later, someone sits beside her. She feels warm to realize it's Draco. He doesn't say anything to her, though, and that's okay.

Maybe it's better that they don't talk.

-

The Daily Prophet is a joy to read the next morning. By the time it arrives, she's sitting down with her coffee. She rolls her eyes at the picture of her rejecting Harry and considers the subtitle to be very rude and biased.

Classic Rita Skeeter.

**BOREDOM LEADS TO GRANGER DUMPING WAR HERO**

She groans, but flips it open and subjects herself to reading what's sure to be a very dismal article.

_Hermione Granger, one of very few survivors of the attack on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry – which also lead to the final battle between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort, was well known to have been dating the infamous wizard once known as the Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter. Special Correspondent Rita Skeeter saw first hand as Potter knelt on one knee before Granger and proposed._

_To the surprise of more than half the wizards present, she didn't even answer right away. She took a look around the room before telling Potter a firm, calm, "no" (see picture). This however, does not end the story._

_Many close friends of the two feel that there is more to the story than the public knows. "She doesn't talk about him much," says Pansy Parkinson (soon to be Malfoy). "It may be because she saw them going downhill."_

_Also asked was co-worker and close friend, Draco Malfoy, but he left no real comment, only saying, "I'm not surprised she dumped Potter. There's only excitement about him when something's trying to kill him. He's quite dull other than that."_

_As others at the Ministry say things along similar lines, it's no wonder Granger felt as if she should cut her loses. _

_This is Rita Skeeter, bringing you the best._

Hermione lets the paper fall in her toast and groans at the article. Harry won't talk to her for weeks after an article like that. It was bad enough that he forced her to dump him in public, and Pansy and Draco's comments hadn't helped any.

She takes a sip of her coffee as an owl flies in. Ron's owl, Pig. Mrs. Weasley had made him the family owl after Ron…

Tied to his leg is a short roll of parchment and Hermione starts as she hasn't received a letter from the Weasleys in a month or so. She takes it, pointing Pig towards the bowl of owl treats and opening the message. She's kind of wary; the first time Rita Skeeter said anything about her and Harry, Mrs. Weasley had been cold to her. Extremely.

_Hermione, Dear. I though I'd get this out of the way. Arthur and I care about both you and Harry, and we don't believe a word of Rita Skeeter's. We understand that it may not have been under fair circumstances, and that the heart works in very tricky ways._

_Love,_

_Molly_

Hermione lets out a relieved sigh at the contents of her message and sits back. It's a load off of her to know that there's no hard feelings (except from Harry maybe) and she leaves the kitchen, ready for a day to visit her parents to celebrate the Christmas holiday. Of course; she'll visit the Weasleys' later, awkward silences with Harry or not.

-

Her mother and father know about the break up, of course. She gave them a subscription to the Daily Prophet, but spent an hour explaining that boredom was not the reason for her dumping Harry. It was a realization that she'd had a lack of interest in him. They trade gifts.

Afterward, she spends a quiet dinner with the Weasleys. It feels subdued, as it does every year, with only himself, Harry, Percy (he came to his senses and reconciled after Fred, George, Ginny and Ron), Bill, Charlie, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

Harry doesn't look in her direction and Mrs. Weasley purposely gives her a large hug at her arrival. Hermione can care less about his pettiness. The both should have realized they weren't working out months ago-

She doesn't continue the thought, instead focusing on having a good time, and being in good sheer these for the holidays.

She does manage to corner him at midnight, when his is about to leave. It's a short conversation. And somewhat one-sided.

"Listen, Harry. You and I both know that Rita Skeeter is lying. You're my friend. And maybe it's not fair to you that I only love you as a friend. But you know what? We're not at all fooling anyone, and I don't have time for you treating me as it I did something wrong."

She feels oddly carefree and refreshed after that.

-

The return to work from her holiday off is refreshing. It's nice to be back where she can find peace and hide for most of the day behind a pile of paperwork and be able to just concentrate on that.

At the end of the busiest day in months, she runs into Draco on the elevator. For some reason, they're the only two to board. She checks her Muggle watch – it's six at night and she didn't even notice that she'd worked herself over time.

"Evening," she says, more to just say anything, and maybe to cover the tiny acceleration of her heart that only she can hear. It's Draco's fault, though (and it is his fault that she now liked him, as far as Hermione's concerned). She looks straightforward at the door. Nice door, it is.

"Hermione," It's the first time she's ever heard her name fall from his lips and she falls in love with it instantly. "Good holiday?"

She grins. "Perfect." Even the parts where she found out she was infatuated with Draco Malfoy and rejected her best friend because of it.

He nods. "Good."

"Thank you." She flounders for something else to say. "So…er…did you – how was your holiday?"

"My mother visited," is his only answer. Hermione doesn't know whether that's good or bad and waits. "She's happy to see Pansy taking her duties seriously."

"Duties?" She echoes.

"Lady of the Manor." Draco answers. "Ordering the house elves about, rearranging the décor to fit her…"

Hermione blanks, wondering for a moment what it would be like to be the Lady of Malfoy Manor…she concludes, watching Draco out the corner of her eye, that it'd be really, really nice.

-

Pansy and Draco's wedding looms ever near. Harry still isn't talking to her, but it's okay because she's filled her time with finding out why Draco saved her life nearly three years ago.

She decides to ask him directly, instead of racking her brain for answers. And she does. Ask. On another day where they're both running late and on the elevator after hours.

"Draco…why did you save me that day?"

He looks at her and she gets that feeling that he really doesn't want to answer. "Granger," she learned weeks ago that he switches between her first and last name, "I just did, all right?"

"I'm sorry," she starts, "But that's not good enough."

He narrows his eyes at her. "Why is it so important to you?"

"Because, I – " Is she really seconds away from revealing her romantic interest to Draco Malfoy? "I…it just is, all right?"

As if he'd seen something in her face, he's suddenly standing directly before her, giving her an utterly intense look. She returns it, unable to look away from the gray.

She doesn't notice that he's nearing her, nor does she question why, but she basks in it being so. Her lips feel warm and tingle as his cover hers and she feels as if she's had fire whiskey. Her stomach feels warm, right in the pit of her stomach.

All too soon, it's over and she's watching him head towards the Floo Network on the ground floor. She wonders if this all means that Pansy's just a fluke.

-

She owls her mother and tells her the dilemma. She's confused, and doesn't know what to do, and she's so full of hope. She just might burst from it all.

She then owls Mrs. Weasley with the same problem, wanting advice from the two most important women in her life.

_Oh, Honey, it does sound like quite a dilemma. I'm fairly sure though, that this Draco may feel absolutely the same as you. After all, he did kiss you when you asked him why he saved you. Don't worry about Harry or anyone else-especially not that Rita Skeeter-has to say. Listen to your heart, Hermione. Do what you feel is right._

_Love,_

_Mum_

Hermione grins when she reads the first owl because she's received the ideal advice from someone who didn't know of the Malfoys or what the family was rumored to have done.

Pig flies in soon after and she watches him zoom towards her owl treats as she opens the letter.

_Hermione, dear, I'm glad you trusted me with this. And, yes, my instincts may tell me that this is bad, but I mostly believe it will work itself out, Draco Malfoy or not. You weren't as happy as possible with Harry. And if Draco does this, I'm behind you._

_Love,_

_Molly_

Hermione feels safe with their reassurance. As far as she's concerned, nothing can hurt her with them behind her; she's invincible –

Her thoughts freeze as a third owl flies through the window. The Malfoy owl. The letter is from Pansy, requesting her attendance as the bachelorette party later that night, and remind her of the party and the wedding within the week.

– Or not.

She replies, saying she has to work late.

-

A week later, she's significantly wishing things were different. She'd love an invention of the twins at the moment. She's dreading the party that comes the day before the wedding (in three days).

She falls into a depression three days before because it occurs to her that the man she wants is getting married, and she'll never know if it's just a phase, or if it can actually work.

She calls in sick two days before the wedding and doesn't leave her bed. Not even for the Daily Prophet, as it sure enough advertises the event of the year. Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour didn't even warrant this much publicity.

The day before, at exactly midnight, Hermione owls Pansy. She's sick, not feeling very well, and she's afraid she may not be well enough for the wedding. Some things have also come to her attention and she needs time to herself.

By dawn, Pansy replies to say that it's all right and that she understands. Daphne Greengrass already has a dress robe in the right shade just in case of this.

Hermione feels oddly about Pansy's kindness, seeing as how she's pining after the other woman's husband to be.

-

Hermione spends the day before and the day of the wedding crying for no real reason (after all, she isn't in love; she's just in very deep like – at least, she thinks so), actually. It's just the thought. All the thinking of what it'd be like to be Hermione Granger Malfoy, and the task easily falls to Pansy for being a pureblood and a Slytherin.

"Bitch," Hermione mutters darkly as she falls asleep, tears dried on her face.

-

She wakes up, feeling disgusting and dirty, surrounded by used tissues and the television remote. She reluctantly gets out of bed, sending her owl (she got him a few weeks ago and named him Drake – not one word) to the Ministry with a note explaining that she's sick.

The Daily Prophet comes in the middle of her subdued breakfast, and because she must be masochistic, she slowly opens it, waiting for the picture of Draco and Pansy in wedding robes. She doesn't find this; she gapes, hope flaring deep within her. There's a picture of Pansy alright, but she's sitting before the expensive hall where the wedding was scheduled, balling her eyes out as Daphne Greengrass rubs her back comfortingly.

**SENSE OF DUTY BRINGS SECOND NON-NUPTIAL**

_Yesterday morning, writes Special Correspondent Rita Skeeter, Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Greengrass proceeded to ensure everything for the former's marriage to Draco Malfoy, high level Ministry official and wizard aristocrat. Little did anyone know, this wedding would not come to be._

Hermione's brain pauses in working, stopping completely. She can't believe that the wedding didn't happen. She returns to the article with great interest. Selfish, of course – but interest nonetheless.

_Close friend, Greengrass, later says that, "Draco never showed a real interest in marrying Pansy. He only proposed because that is what we all expected him to do."_

_Surprisingly, many other guests also shared the same opinion. Draco Malfoy objected to the marriage before apparating from sight. His whereabouts are unknown at the moment, but his mother, Narcissa Malfoy, shows great concern for him. "I do hope he's all right. I don't blame him a bit, of course. Never once did I think Pansy was his type. There are certain others…that may fit better."_

_It is therefore of the public's opinion that Narcissa Malfoy may actually know more about her con's very sudden decision to not marry Pansy Parkinson. We can only wait for the secret to come out, can't we?_

She drops the paper, almost knocking over a chair in her haste to get out of her seat. She runs to her room, putting on clothing and not bothering with any hygiene aspects. A grab of her wand (it had been a great moment to find out from Draco, days after the attack, that it'd only been a twig and that her wand was still intact), a flick of her wrist, and a few muttered words later, she was disapparating from her apartment.

Her new surroundings were only trees, trees and more trees. She's in the Forbidden Forest, her instincts telling her that she would find Draco here. She trudges forward, retracting steps from years past, until she reaches that familiar boulder and finds him leaning against it.

"I…I saw the paper." She says.

"Really? Front page, was it?" Draco asks.

"Yes, actually. If it helps…Pansy was put in the bad light." Hermione replies. "Your mother…she said that Pansy wasn't your type. That…certain others…fit better." She tilts her head. "What certain others?"

He looks up at her and she feels as if she should already know the answer. She frowns. Didn't she already know the answer? Hadn't her own mother and Molly Weasley told her everything she needed to know? Wasn't it already obvious?

He looks away then. "You know, Hermione."

"I think I may." She murmurs, stepping closer to him. He pushes himself off the boulder to face her. As if under some sort of _Imperio_, she moves closer to him, until she actually feel his warm breath on her skin, even in the cool April air. Yes, time had passed; she'd had nine months of working with Draco – was it really all too surprising that she fell for him?

"That's good." Draco agrees, as her face tilts up towards his, and as he leans down towards her.

"Not good, Draco. Great." She whispers. Her heart is beating wildly in her chest and she can only think that within seconds, his lips will be on hers. Him reciprocating all her feelings was unexpected, yet completely welcome.

"You know – my father would be rolling over in his grave." He whispers to her with a hint of a smile, pausing just before their kiss.

She smiles confidently. "Let him roll."

His lips cover hers and she smiles into the kiss, her arms finding their way around his neck as his wind around her waist. It's soft, sweet, passionate, eager, demanding, needful, wanton – it's a complete paradox and absolutely perfect. It's better than being silent, better than imagining life as the next Lady of the Malfoy Manor. It's better than knowing that it's highly likely that she will be the next lady of Malfoy Manor. It's indescribable.

There's a flash of light, but she doesn't really notice and she doesn't think Draco doe wither. No one will know about them until tomorrow morning. Three women will smile, one Boy Who Lived would be bitter and one stilted bride would be indignant.

**MINISTRY OFFICIALS FIND LOVE AFTER ENDING DEAD-END RELATIONSHIPS**

_Special Correspondent Rita Skeeter received the anonymous tip and has the scoop as she's seen an eye witness account on that oh-so-elusive reason Narcissa Malfoy may or may not have been hinting at only a day ago._

_Hermione Granger, ministry official and ex-romantic interest of Harry Potter, was seen in the Forbidden Forest with fellow co-worker, Draco Malfoy, reaching conclusions about obviously reciprocated feelings that they were harboring._

"_I'm not at all surprised," says Molly Weasley, as she's caught off guard at the Ministry. "Hermione told me early on that she was feeling as if she may have a romantic interest in Draco Malfoy. I'm just happy she's found love."_

_Also interviewed was Muggle Julia Granger, who only had comments along similar lines. "My daughter deserves happiness. I'll stand by her."_

_Most important was Narcissa Malfoy. "I knew from the moment he went back to save her life nearly three years ago. I gave him the port key, actually. He saved her from my deceased husband, and got her out of danger. If we were set in our old ways, and not for making our world better and more solidified, I'd make disapproving statements on the purity of her blood, but I can't seem to find it in myself to spout such parrot-like words."_

_And there you have it, witches and wizards. I see wedding bells in the future. And they may actually ring this time. This is Rita Skeeter, the one and only that can bring you the top stories._

Finis.


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